This invention relates to a method of making a window unit for use in vehicles such as cars, trucks, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), and the like. In particular, this invention relates to a method of making a window unit by applying an extruded frame profile to at least one corner area of a glazing.
It is known to provide a glass substrate with a frame-like polymer profile proximate an edge portion thereof. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,154,028; 5,108,526; 5,057,265; 5,833,297; and 5,456,874, the disclosures of which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Polymer profiles may be extruded onto a glass substrate and thereafter cured. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,108,526 and 5,057,265. Extruded frame profiles affixed to a glass surface may, for example, be used as an intermediate body (or spacer) to which an adhesive bead is applied during the assembly of automotive windows, where the bead bonds the profile to a corresponding window frame of the vehicle (e.g., see the ""265 patent). Frame profiles may also be designed to limit the spread of adhesive along a major surface of a glass substrate. Frame profiles may also include a lip that may be used either for centering purposes (e.g., see the ""265 patent), or alternatively as a weatherstrip (e.g., water seal) and/or gap covering unit.
FIG. 1 illustrates a known polymer profile frame (same as xe2x80x9cframe profilexe2x80x9d herein) bonded to a glass substrate in a vehicle window application. In particular, the window assembly includes glass substrate 1 provided in a window frame including attachment flanges 3 that run approximately parallel to the substrate 1 surface and wall(s) 4 that is aligned at an angle of from about 45 to 135 degrees relative to flange(s) 3. Polymer frame profile 5 including lip 7 is provided on a major surface 9 of glass substrate 1. Optionally, opaque layer 11 (e.g., frit layer, baked black/dark enamel layer, etc.),may be provided so that polymer profile 5 is on the surface 9 of substrate 1 with layer 11 therebetween. Adhesive 27 bonds the substrate 1 to the metal window frame 3, 4.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 herein, U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,526 teaches extruding a polymer profile frame 5 directly onto the surface of a glass plate or substrate 1, with the polymer profile 5 thereafter curing. As shown in FIG. 2, socket 17 of extrusion die 13 is connected to a polymer supply tube so as to enable polymer to flow into supply channels 19 and 21. The two supply channels 19, 21 empty into distributing chamber 23. Optionally, channel 21 may be adjusted via screw 25. Polymer material flows through channels 19 and/or 21 and into chamber 23. From distributing chamber 23, the molten polymer flows through orifice 15 and onto the substrate.
It is known in the art that forming frame profile corners at corner areas of a glazing is difficult. For example, in column 9, U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,874 states that xe2x80x9cit is impossible to deal with very tight corners with extrusion nozzles and it is consequently impossible to follow a sharp edge of the glazing . . . in those parts of the glazing with very small radii or curvature, the peripheral lip is very difficult to obtain by extrusion.xe2x80x9d The ""874 patent attempts to overcome this problem by completely regenerating corner areas of a frame profile on a glazing. To do so, the ""874 patent teaches to: (i) extrude a profile frame directly onto a glazing, including corner areas, (ii) cut off the corner area(s) of the profile frame, and then (iii) bring upper and lower halves of a molding die device to the glazing corner area(s) so that a new corner portion can be formed via injection molding. Unfortunately, the system of the ""874 patent is highly complicated and requires the significant expense and burden associated with the mold tooling in addition to the extrusion tooling.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that there exists a need for a system/method that enables corner areas of a frame profile to be more easily formed and/or attached/bonded to a substrate or glazing (e.g., glass substrate). There also exists a need in the art for a method which allows (i) a frame profile to be produced using extrusion technology, and (ii) the extruded profile to be applied to a glazing surface including corner areas thereof in an efficient manner.
An object of this invention is to provide a method/system for more easily forming a polymer profile frame at corner area(s) of a glazing. The polymer profile may be adhered directly to the glazing in certain embodiments, or there may be a frit and/or black opaque enamel layer between the glazing surface and the profile in other embodiments. In all of these scenarios, the profile is considered to be xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d the glazing or substrate, and is considered to be supported thereby regardless of whether additional layer(s) are provided therebetween.
Another object of this invention it to enable an extruded polymer frame profile to be adhered to a glazing proximate corner area(s) thereof, without the need for injection molding a replacement corner of the profile.
Another object of this invention it to extrude a profile frame, allow it to at least partially (and preferably fully) cure, and thereafter adhere it to a glazing along both elongated straight side(s) of the glazing and at corner area(s) thereof. The profile frame may be adhered to the glazing via any one of several potential methods, including but not limited to: (a) double sided tape; (b) coextruding a profile frame so as to include both a polymer profile portion and a selectively activatable adhesive portion, and thereafter heat activating the adhesive portion and adhering the polymer profile portion to the glazing using the same; and/or (c) use of a separately extruded or otherwise applied adhesive between the profile and the glazing.
Another object of this invention is to adhere/bond an extruded profile to a substrate without having to apply the profile to the substrate immediately upon the profile exiting the extruding die.
Another object of this invention is to fulfill one or more of the aforesaid object(s) and/or need(s).